How life has changed in Blackpool

Blackpool's population decreased by about 200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population changed very little

In the decade to 2011, the population of Blackpool remained close to 142,000.

The loss of just over 200 people means this area's population decreased by 0.1% between that last two censuses, while the population of England increased by 7.9%

In 2011, Blackpool was home to, on average, 29 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the North West's third-most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Blackpool

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Blackpool increased by one year, from 41 to 42 years.

This area had a higher average age than the North West and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,400 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 15.0% of people in Blackpool are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Blackpool by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Blackpool

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Blackpool was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.7 points.

In 2011, 26.2% of respondents in Blackpool gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 12.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.3% to 21.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Blackpool, 71.8% said they were Christian, compared with 86.2% in 2001. About 0.8% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism increased from 0.3% to 0.4%.

In Blackpool, 6.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.8% in 2001. Across the North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Blackpool increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Blackpool by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Blackpool saw the North West's second-largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (64.6%) households in Blackpool had no children, compared with 65.5% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 26.3%.

Across the region, only Trafford saw a greater fall in the proportion of households without children (from 60.7% to 58.2%).

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Blackpool residents that were unemployed increased from 4.2% to 6.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who said they were employed remained close to 46.5%, while the percentage of Blackpool residents that were self-employed decreased from 9.7% to 9.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Blackpool increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Blackpool, the North West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Blackpool residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 3.1% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.3% in 2001 to 1.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Blackpool remained close to 1.8%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Blackpool by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Blackpool

The percentage of Blackpool residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 4.5% to 5.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.4%, while the percentage of Blackpool residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Blackpool at a faster rate than in Fylde (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Blackpool).

In Blackpool, the proportion of private renting increased from 17.5% in 2001 to 26.1% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Fylde increased from 11.9% to 17.4%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15.4%.

The rate of social housing in Blackpool increased from 9.6% to 10.9%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 70.5% to 61.6%.

Private renting in Blackpool increased by 8.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Blackpool, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Blackpool

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Blackpool at a faster rate than across England.

In Blackpool, the proportion of single people increased from 28.5% in 2001 to 35.3% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30.5% to 34.9%.

Across the North West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 30.1% to 35.6%.

The proportion of married people in Blackpool fell from 45.4% to 39.5%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 15.2% to 16.3%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Blackpool residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 13.8% to 9.5% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 7 in 10 (73.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 61.0% in 2001. The percentage of Blackpool residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25.1% to 16.9%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Blackpool decreased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Blackpool, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Blackpool

In 2011, 96.7% of Blackpool residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.4% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.4% to 90.2%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.6% of people in Blackpool said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.8% in 2001. About 1.2% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from 0.1% to 0.2%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Blackpool decreased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Blackpool by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Blackpool working less than 16 hours increased from 2.0% to 3.2% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 10.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Blackpool increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Blackpool, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Blackpool, which comprised a single parent, increased from 11.7% to 12.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in four (24.4%) households had a married couple, compared with 28.2% in 2001. The percentage of households in Blackpool, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.2% to 10.2%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.1% in 2001 to 12.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

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